Meaning of Life

The Meaning of Life

By: The Ghost in the Machine

What is the meaning of life? What happens to us when we die? Where do we come from and why are we here? The age old questions. Mankind, over countless generations, has tried to answer these questions in many different ways. We, as a species, have always tried to figure out our place in the grand scheme of things… the unlimited Universe.

What is the truth? That depends on who you ask. Truth is subjective. What’s true to you may not necessarily be true to me. We’re all different. So … Do we cease to exist when we die, or do we go on in some other form of existence? There’s only one way to know for sure… wait until we die.

Going by what the Bible tells us, we are spiritual creatures created in the “image and likeness” of God. Does that mean that God is blonde, brunette, or red-headed? Or that God has a physical body? No, it means that we have a spirit. That we are spiritual creatures that cannot truly ever die. Our spirit will live on in some other form of existence.

If God is perfect, it is because He, if you want to give a being with no sexual character a gender, is EVERYTHING!! That’s what makes God perfect. God did not create the Universe… He IS the Universe. Because if God created the Universe, then who or what created God?

I mean think about it…the Bible says (in Revelations) in Heaven, all of the streets are paved with gold and the buildings are made of gems. What, I must ask, does a spirit care for these things? Many people follow the religions of the world because they want to become better people. Many feel remorse for things they have done in the past and feel a need to make amends. They want to become better people, and religion shows them the way.

What they fail to realize is that “being saved” doesn’t make them better people. It is their remorse and willingness to change that causes them to become the person they want to be. A great many people are afraid of change. They like things the way they are – sometimes even if it’s negative, because it’s comfortable. Only when they become tired of things as they are, do they become willing to change. That’s in all of the twelve-step programs, yet people still don’t understand.

The Bible teaches freewill. That we have to choose between “good” and “evil”. What is good and what is evil? Are they physical forces or concepts of mankind? Are they a constant and never changing set of rules to go by? History teaches us that many of the things we take for granted today would have been considered evil then. So which is true?

The Bible also teaches pre-destiny. In Revelations, it says that every name that is, was, or ever will be written in the “Book of Life” was written at the “Beginning”. Here’s the problem with that… everything happens in cycles. All the basic building blocks of matter and life are round. Planets are round. All proof to the fact that things happen in cycles. Can you find the beginning in a circle? Time is defined as the distance between one event and the next. Time happens in cycles too. So, if everything happens in cycles, then when was “The Beginning”? There is no beginning and there is no end. How else can there be no limits? So, pre-destiny or free will? If everything is pre-planned, that despite all of our choices we still end up at the same place, what would be the point? Why would a being who knows everything ahead of time need to test us? I’ll tell you why.

Adversity is what changes us and forms us… what makes us who we are and who we’ re meant to be… in the image and likeness of God. Can you really expect me to believe that God only wants a bunch of obedient children who’ s sole purpose is to do His will? That sounds a lot like slavery to me. Does God want a bunch of slaves and puppets? I can’t and won’t buy that. God wants us to become more like Him so He can have companions and friends. Not slaves and not puppets.

How else can we appreciate the “good things in life” without a frame of reference? (The bad stuff). Everything in nature has an equal and opposite. Light/darkness, positive/ negative, love/ hate, and life/ death. The negative things in life are the things that test us, push us, and help us to grow.

There is a statement that says, “Ignorance is bliss”. What a profound statement!! By knowing nothing or not being aware of something, I have no desire to DO anything… and we are here to do things. How else can we learn and become better people?

Some Christians teach people that it is a sin to lust. Attraction is natural. Without it, there wouldn’t be any more of us. They sometimes teach things that are against the very laws of nature. Even the Ten Commandments are at odds with the actions of God Himself! Do not kill, yet He commands to kill- a lot. Do not steal, yet God commands them to take things from the spoils of war. Things that are a part of who and what we are now are looked at as sins. In essence, many are taught to become someone else, maybe even change who we were meant to be. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of good teachings in the Bible. I just can’t accept that one little book can really explain God. That can’t be all there is to it. After all, isn’t the Universe ever expanding and limitless?

If someone were to ask me, “would you change anything about your life if you could?”, I would answer, “NO, I wouldn’t change a thing”. Why? Because I wouldn’t be the same person I am right now. By now, you may be asking yourself why I am writing this. Some of you may have figured out a part of it, but believe me, there is so much more to it! My motive will become clear as time expands and is probably not what you think it is.

I don’t claim to know all the answers. I can only speak on the things that I’ve learned. Do you know the reason why Jesus says, “All fall short of the glory of God”? Because we’re not perfect. Well, it also goes deeper than that. If you had done everything there was to do, seen everything there was to see, and knew everything there was to know… what purpose would you serve then? What more can be done, seen, or known? THAT would be perfection!!

If someone were to ask me what the meaning of life is, I would tell them that our purpose in life is to find our meaning and that everyone will have a different one. We must accept that we know next to nothing and must therefore question everything!!

Have you ever wondered why the Universe is so vast? (And it’s really a multi-verse as scientists are finding out.) to make sure there is always something more to learn, to see, and to do. A reason to be. a reason to exist and to keep on existing!!

So, you see … you don’t have to be Christian, Catholic, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, or any other religion to find a life of meaning. We are all capable of vast positive or negative influences and effects, regardless of religion.

What I propose is this… that you get to really know yourself and become your own master. You can have positive morals and values, just by being you. Take a long hard look at yourself and decide to take control of your life!! Stop making excuses for yourself about where you’ve been, what you’ve done, what you’ve been through, how you were raised or taught, and take control!! Set your own goals and decide what has meaning to YOU. Learn who you are and accept that you are – right now – a physical being with an unlimited spirit within… your unlimited self. Your “Higher Self’. And realize that you can still be a positive influence on the world.

I’m not asking you to save the world. I’m asking you to save yourself from the pit of despair. Become one with your unlimited self and become who you were meant to become… the True Child of God!! Live your life in a way that is worthwhile to you… then live long and prosper. Because we get to take all of our knowledge and experiences with us. They are a part of who and what we are.

We are in the stages of our spiritual adulthood. Some of us are still in our adolescence. Some are still toddlers. And a small few are old beyond imagination. Which one are you? Only time will tell the tale. I’ll see you on the other side… then we’ll see who has it right. That is, of course, if you still doubt me. But don’t take my word for it. Find out for yourself!! Become who you were meant to become, whoever that is. Only you can know for sure. Until then though… live, learn, and grow!!